This invention relates generally to lamination apparatuses and methods and, more particularly, to stacking lamination apparatuses and methods.
Various lamination apparatuses and processes have been developed to produce products constructed from sheet material. Many conventional lamination approaches employ a cutting mechanism that cuts a sheet of material into small segments. The individual segments are then manually or mechanistically aligned and layered as part of a separate lamination process. The layered structure is then subjected to lamination forces by an appropriate force producing mechanism.
Notwithstanding the variety of conventional lamination and stacking approaches currently available, many of such approaches are not well suited for applications which require relatively high levels of productivity, automation, and flexibility. For example, many conventional lamination processes are unable to accommodate varying types of materials, sheet sizes, and sheet shapes. Many of such available lamination techniques are not well suited nor adaptable to autonomously and continuously laminate multiple webs of differing materials, as is typically necessary in the construction of thin-film electrochemical laminate structures, for example.
There exists a need for an improved apparatus and method for laminating and stacking films and sheet materials of varying types, colors, shapes, and sizes. There exists a particular need for an improved apparatus and method for laminating layers of electrochemical cell materials and for producing stacks of electrochemical cell materials for use in the construction of solid-state, thin-film batteries. The present invention fulfills these and other needs.
The present invention is directed to a product stacking apparatus and method. According to an embodiment of a product stacking apparatus, one or more stations are provided, each including a conveyor upon which spaced-apart pucks are coupled for travel thereon. A product delivery apparatus drives one or more movable webs to which segmented product sheets are removably affixed. The product delivery apparatus includes one or more rotatable lamination interfaces associated with each of the stations for transferring product sheets from the webs to the pucks on a repetitive basis to produce a stack of product sheets on the respective pucks.
The movable webs may each incorporate a release liner to which the segmented product sheets are removably affixed. The product delivery apparatus may include a feed apparatus and a wind apparatus associated with each of the webs. The product sheets travel through a nip respectively formed between one or more of the rotatable lamination interfaces and the respective pucks.
The product delivery apparatus may include a position adjustment mechanism coupled to the one or more rotatable lamination interfaces and a sensor that senses a change in height of the stack of product sheets developed on the pucks. The position adjustment mechanism adjusts a position of the rotatable lamination interfaces in response to the sensor sensing a change in height of the stack of product sheets.
The pucks may be coupled to the one or more conveyors for continuous loop travel thereupon. Alternatively, the pucks may be coupled to the one or more conveyors for reciprocating travel thereupon. A control system may include sensors that sense a parameter of puck movement. The control system adjusts one or both of conveyor movement and/or web movement to maintain a desired registration of the product sheets on the pucks in response to the sensed puck movement parameter. The control system may further include sensors that sense a parameter of web movement. In this case, the control system adjusts one or both of conveyor movement and/or web movement to maintain a desired registration of the product sheets on the pucks in response to the sensed web movement parameter.
Each of the segmented product sheets may define all or a portion of an electrochemical cell, including cells used in solid-state thin-film batteries and fuel cells, for example. In another embodiment, each of the segmented product sheets may define all or a portion of a pad comprising layers of film or sheet material, wherein a portion of each of the layers is provided with an adhesive. In a further embodiment, each of the segmented product sheets defines all or a portion of a pack comprising layers of medical dressing.
According to another embodiment of product stacking apparatus, a first station includes a first conveyor upon which spaced-apart first pucks are coupled for travel thereon. A second station includes a second conveyor upon which spaced-apart second pucks are coupled for travel thereon. A product delivery apparatus drives a movable web to which segmented product sheets are removably affixed. The product delivery apparatus transfers alternating product sheets to the respective first and second pucks of the first and second stations on a repetitive basis so as to produce a stack of product sheets on the respective first and second pucks.
The product delivery apparatus, according to this embodiment, includes a feed apparatus, a wind apparatus, a first application roller, and a second application roller. The alternating product sheets travels through nips respectively formed between the first and second application rollers and the first and second pucks in response to feed and wind apparatus movement of the web. The product delivery apparatus may include position adjustment mechanisms coupled to the first and second application rollers and a sensor that senses a change in height of the stack of product sheets. The position adjustment mechanism adjusts a position of the first and second application rollers in response to the sensor sensing a change in height of the stack of product sheets.
A control system may include sensors that sense a parameter of first and second puck movement, respectively. The control system adjusts first and second conveyor movement and/or web movement to maintain a desired registration of the product sheets on the respective first and second pucks.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of a product stacking apparatus, a station includes a conveyor upon which spaced-apart pucks are coupled for travel thereon. A first product delivery apparatus drives a movable first web to which segmented first product sheets are removably affixed. The first product delivery apparatus transfers first product sheets to each of the pucks. The product stacking apparatus, according to this embodiment, includes a second product delivery apparatus that drives a movable second web to which segmented second product sheets are removably affixed. The second product delivery apparatus transfers second product sheets to each of the pucks. The first and second product delivery apparatuses transfer respective first and second sheets to each of the pucks on a repetitive basis to produce a stack of alternating first and second product sheets on each of the pucks.
Each of the first and second product delivery apparatuses includes a feed apparatus, a wind apparatus and an application roller. The first and second product sheets travel through nips respectively formed between their respective application rollers and the pucks in response to feed and wind apparatus movement of the first and second webs.
Each of the first and second product delivery apparatuses may further include position adjustment mechanisms coupled to their respective first and second application rollers and a sensor that senses a change in height of the stack of product sheets. The position adjustment mechanism adjusts a position of the respective first and second application rollers in response to the sensor sensing a change in height of the stack of product sheets. First and second roller position adjustment can also be accomplished via pressure sensing and pressure control of the rolls on the pucks.
A control system including sensors that sense a parameter of puck and/or web movement and adjusts conveyor and/or web movement to maintain a desired registration of the product sheets on the pucks. The control system may independently adjust first and second product delivery apparatus movement to maintain the desired registration of the product sheets on the pucks.
According to a further embodiment, a method of stacking sheets of material on a number of pucks involves moving the spaced-apart pucks on a recirculating path. The method further includes moving one or more webs, wherein each web includes a release liner to which segmented product sheets are removably affixed. One or more of the webs are moved into proximity with the pucks on a successive basis.
The method also includes forming a nip between one or more of the moving webs and the pucks, and rotatably transferring product sheets from one or more of the webs to the pucks at the nip on a repetitive basis to produce a stack of product sheets on the respective pucks.
According to another embodiment, a method of stacking sheets of material involves moving a number of spaced-apart pucks on a recirculating path and moving a web having a release liner to which segmented product sheets are removably affixed. The method further involves transferring, using a vacuum lamination roll, the segmented product sheets from the release liner into a nip defined between the vacuum lamination roll and the pucks. Product sheets are transferred from the vacuum lamination roll to the pucks at the nip on a repetitive basis to produce a stack of product sheets on the respective pucks.
The stacking method may further include sensing a height of the stack of product sheets on the pucks and adjusting a position of the nip as a function of the height of the stack of product sheets on the pucks. Moving the pucks may involve moving the pucks for continuous loop travel or reciprocating travel along the recirculating path. A parameter of web movement and/or puck movement may be sensed and one or both of puck movement and/or web movement may be adjusted to maintain a desired registration of the product sheets on the pucks.
According to another embodiment, a puck need not be in motion during the transfer of the product sheet from the lamination roll to the puck. The puck may or may not be attached to a conveyor, but in this embodiment the conveyor need not be in motion during the lamination or stack building process. A roller is moved across the puck and simultaneously rotated so a point on the surface of the roller interfaces with the puck at the same location on each pass. The roll is capable of holding the segmented product sheet in a fixed position on the surface of the roll, such as by vacuum, electrostatics, or with an adhesive.
According to this embodiment, an adjustable mechanism is provided to control the distance from the surface of the puck to the surface of the lamination roll. As the stack height grows the distance is increased. The roll may deliver a segmented product sheet or a segmented product sheet supported by a liner sheet to the puck. Two dissimilar laminates or laminate composites may be laminated into a single stack with precision alignment. Pallets of each laminate can be utilized for laminate pick up prior to lamination.
In accordance with yet another embodiment, a product stacking apparatus includes a station comprising an adjustable table. A puck is coupled to the adjustable table top surface. A rotatable lamination surface is provided, and a position adjustment apparatus adjusts the relative position between the puck and the lamination surface. One or more product delivery apparatuses deliver one or more product layered structures to the lamination surface. The lamination surface rotatably transfers the product layered structures to the puck on a repetitive and alternating basis to produce a stack of alternating product layered structures on the puck.
According to a further embodiment, a first product delivery apparatus feeds first product layered structures to the lamination surface. A second product delivery apparatus feeds second product layered structures to the lamination surface. The lamination surface transfers respective first and second layered structures to the puck on a repetitive and alternating basis to produce a stack of alternating first and second product layered structures on the puck.
The rotatable lamination surface may include a vacuum system, an adhesive, or electrostatics to releasably hold the product layered structures to the rotatable lamination surface. The rotatable lamination surface and the adjustable table top surface may be manually adjustable. Alternatively, the rotatable lamination surface and the adjustable table top surface may be fully or partially automatically adjustable. In one embodiment, the position adjustment apparatus includes a rack and pinion apparatus.
All or a portion of the puck may comprise a thermal and electrical insulating material. The puck may include multiple-axis position indicators, such as x, y, and z axis position indicators. The puck may further include a yaw indicator.
The first and second product respectively include a web of single or multiple layered structures. The layered structures may comprise release liners. The first and second product delivery apparatuses may respectively comprise a manual sheet feed apparatus or, alternatively, a partially or fully automatic sheet feed apparatus.
In accordance with another embodiment, an input to a stacking apparatus of the present invention may be coupled to an output of a rotary converting apparatus according to the present invention. A combined rotary converting/stacking apparatus and methodology according to the present invention provides for the production of laminated stacks of similar or dissimilar layers of varying materials, in virtually any shape.
The above summary of the present invention is not intended to describe each embodiment or every implementation of the present invention. Advantages and attainments, together with a more complete understanding of the invention, will become apparent and appreciated by referring to the following detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.